Sunday, 24 March 2013

Spot the Difference ?

I loved this picture I've just seen on the Pray Tell website. There's also a list by Anthony Riff OSB of what Pope Francis has done with Liturgy and Ritual since his election. It can be seen here or, though is reproduced below.

What Pope Francis Has Done

After his election, he came down from platform to greet the cardinal electors, rather than have them
come up to his level to offer obedience.He appeared on the loggia without the red cape. (The BBC report, unconfirmed, is that he said to his
aide, “No thank you, Monsignore. You put it on instead. Carnival time is over."In his greeting he referred to himself only as “bishop,” not as "pope."

He referred to Benedict as “bishop emeritus,” not “pope emeritus.”

He appeared without the stole, only putting it on to give the blessing. He then took it off in public (!), as if he couldn’t wait to get it off.

He asked for the people’s prayers before he blessed them.He doesn’t wear red shoes.Or white stockings.Or cuff links.He rode the bus back to the residence with the cardinals rather than take the papal limousine.When he went to Mary Major to pray, he declined the papal Mercedes and took a Volkswagen Passat.On his way back from Mary Major, he stopped at his pre-conclave hotel to get his luggage and pay his own bill.Though he has taken possession of the apostolic palace, he continued to receive guests at St. Martha’s House rather than the palace.

He drank Argentinian tea in public when receiving the Argentinian president – protocol is that popes

are seen publicly consuming no food or drink except the Eucharist.His first Mass with cardinals was celebrated facing the people. (Pope Benedict started this way, but then did a “reform of the reform” and celebrated at the old high altar in the Sistine Chapel facing away from the congregation. Apparently this has been reversed.He doesn’t chant the prayers, he recites them – but this could be because of an impaired lung or his singing ability.The wall of candles between celebrant and congregation, another of Pope Benedict’s “reform of the reform,” was moved away with three candles on each side of the altar.

At his inauguration Mass, photos show that the candles were originally set up across the front of the altar, but by Mass time they had been moved to the side.

The crucifix on the altar was a small one at his first Mass.He wore his own simple miter from Argentina, not the papal miter.He preached from the ambo without miter – rather like a simple parish priest. (The concelebrating cardinals gradually realized what was going on and had to remove the miters they had started to put on after the Gospel readingHe brushed aside the prepared Latin homily and preached in Italian without text.In general, less lace.His hands are folded during the liturgy, not the pious (some say prissy) way with palms together.He didn’t genuflect at the Supper Narrative of the Eucharistic Prayer – is this really because of bad knees?He asked the cardinals not to wear their red cardinals’ robes, but black.He stood on the floor of the Clementine Hall to greet the cardinals rather than sit on the throne on the platform.He called them “brother cardinals” rather than “Lord cardinals.”He bent to kiss the ring of a cardinal who kissed his ring.At his meeting with over 5,000 journalists, after Archbishop Celli introduced him, he got up to walk over to him (popes don’t do that) and thanked him.He didn’t bless the journalists like popes do, since not all of them are Catholic or believers. Instead he prayed for them in silence, then simply said “God bless you.”After the meeting with journalists, he waved away the papal limousine and walked to the Vatican residence.When he saw the papal apartments he said, “There’s room for 300 people here. I don’t need all this space.” He has yet to move into the apartments, and some wonder whether he will.

At Mass Sunday at the Vatican parish Sunday morning, he gave the Kiss of Peace to the deacons and Master of Ceremonies, not just the concelebrants. This is breaking the rules – but perhaps also a nice show of support for MC Marini, who must be reeling from all the sudden changes.

The deacon didn’t kneel before Pope Francis for the blessing before the gospel (as they did for John Paul II and Benedict XVI).

He doesn’t wear the dalmatic. Pope Benedict revived the practice, not foreseen in the reformed liturgical books, of wearing this deacon’s vestment under his papal vestments.

He doesn’t distribute Communion as the missal foresees of the celebrant, but is seated while others do so.

He listened to the words of the Patriarch of Constantinople seated on an armchair rather than the throne that is customarily used in the Clementine Hall. When he thanked Bartholomew I, he called him “my brother AndrewHe has simplified his coat of arms, keeping the miter rather than tiara (as Benedict also did) but removing the pallium from it.He is wearing a second-hand pallium.He has chosen a simple ring, re-using a ring once made for Paul VI’s secretary.Pope Benedict recently began wearing a fanon under the pallium for big feasts, but Francis did not wear it as the inauguration Mass.

He undid Pope Benedict’s decision that all the cardinals would come up to pay obedience to the Pope at his inauguration, and decided that six representatives would be enough.Rather than being seated while they came up to pay him obedience, he stood and greeted them

informally.Contrary to protocol, he has given a phone call to the Jesuit superior general, the people holding a prayer vigil outside the Buenos Aires cathedral, and the guy in Argentina who sold him his daily paper (to cancel his delivery).When he met the Jesuit general, he apologized for not keeping protocol and insisted on being treated like any other Jesuit with the “tu” informal address, rather than “Your Holiness” or “Holy Father.

He is not celebrating Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper in St. Peter’s Basilica (he hasn’t yet taken possession of his cathedral, John Lateran), but in a juvenile prison.

He celebrated an unannounced Mass at St. Martha’s with hotel workers, Vatican gardeners, and people who clean St. Peter’s square. He showed up before Mass and sat in the back row to pray a bit.In his official photograph, he signs his name simply “Franciscus” without “PP” (“pontifex pontificum”) used by previous popes.